Presidential Spokesperson Barış Burcu has stated that Turkey’s new drillship, Deepsea Metro-2, will start new drilling works in the Mediterranean Sea as soon as it has completed its preliminary scoping and exploration exercises.

Speaking at the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT) Regional Training conference in Girne this week, the TRNC Economy and Energy Minister Sunat Atun stated that the ICDT decision to hold its Regional Training conference on “Export Strategies for Primo-Exporters” among OIC member states in Girne this year is an important opportunity for the TRNC.

The Presidential spokesman Barış Burcu has stated that the decision of the Greek Cypriot House of Representatives demanding the cancellation of the Treaties of Guarantee and the withdrawal of Turkish troops from the island is “completely unilateral and invalid”.

The Foreign Ministry has announced that a United Nations (UN) convoy crossed over the border into the TRNC yesterday from the Ledra Palace checkpoint to deliver the medical supplies to Greek Cypriots living in the Dipkarpaz area.

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Statement regarding the refusal of entry into TRNC of a Serbian group of children that arrived in South Cyprus in order to attend the 19th International 23rd of April Children’s Festival

Children’s performance groups from various countries including Serbia were invited to participate in the 19th International Children’s Festival being held on 23rd of April which was organized as part of the annual 23rd of April National Sovereignty and Children’s Day celebrations.

A group of children from Serbia that arrived at Larnaca Airport in South Cyprus in order to attend the festival was refused entry into TRNC by Greek Cypriot police after being kept waiting for hours. Our Ministry’s diplomatic efforts to allow access for the Serbian group in the presence of the UN Peacekeeping Force throughout the day were unfortunately rejected and with no warning and without being allowed to exit the airport, the Serbian children aged 10-11 were sent back to their country in a cruel and inhumane way by Greek authorities in a private aircraft.

The aforementioned incident is the product of such a mentality that cannot even tolerate Turkish Cypriot children’s interaction with children from foreign countries and represents the latest example of Greek Cypriot Administration’s well known policy that intends to isolate Turkish Cypriots from the rest of the world.

It is once again proven that the current vision and mentality of the Greek Cypriot side has not changed, and that its restrictive attitude as well as its desire to subjugate the Turkish Cypriots still continues. The attitude of the Greek Cypriot side makes one re-question how a new partnership is to be established and even if realised, how it is to be maintained.

Ertuğruloğlu visits Qatar

Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu has travelled to Qatar within the framework of his meeting programme in Gulf countries.

Ertuğruloğlu, who began his meetings in Qatar’s capital Doha yesterday, met with Vice Chairman of Qatar Chamber, Muhammad Bin Ahmed Bin Towar Al Kuwari. During the meeting, Kuwari and his delegation were briefed by Ertuğruloğlu on tourism, trade and higher education in the TRNC. Ertuğruloğlu stressed that Qatar businesses will be able to cooperate and develop trade relationships with businesses in the TRNC.

Speaking about the Cyprus issue and the ongoing negotiation process, Ertuğruloğlu warned that the Greek Cypriot side is not making efforts to establish an equal partnership with the Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus, rather to tie the Turkish Cypriot people to lengthy negotiations and enforce heavy embargoes on them.

Ertuğruloğlu also pointed out that the Greek Cypriot Administration has recently prevented children who came to the island via South Cyprus from attending the Children’s Festival celebrations to be held in the TRNC on 23rd April.

Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu also attended the opening of the “Expo Turkey by Qatar” fair in Doha. Ertuğruloğlu, who participated in the fair as the guest of honour, in order to develop commercial relations between Turkey and Qatar and to enable joint investments, inaugurated the opening ceremony at the fair.

Additionally, Ertuğruloğlu met with President of the Tourism Commission of Qatar Hasan Al-Abraham.

Responding to questions, Ertuğruloğlu gave a briefing to Al-İbrahim about the Cyprus problem, the negotiation process and the latest developments with regards to the Cyprus issue. He also addressed the recent developments around Cyprus’ natural resources.

Pointing out that there are very strict trade and political relations between Qatar and Turkey, Ertuğruloğlu said that he was surprised that a Qatari company will cooperate with the Greek Cypriot side on natural gas in Cyprus.

Ertuğruloğlu emphasized that Turkish Cypriots share the rights of natural resources in Cyprus and that this should be taken into account. He also noted that Turkey would not allow a unilateral step in the name of natural gas.

Negotiations continue as leaders meet today

Cyprus negotiations will continue today, as President Mustafa Akıncı and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades are set to meet at 18:30 (local time) at the UN buffer zone.

The negotiation process, which had been stalled due to the Greek Cypriot Parliament’s decision to commemorate the Enosis plebiscite in schools, resumed on 11 April after the Greek Cypriot side took the necessary steps to revert the Enosis decision. Following a two months pause, leaders discussed the new negotiation process at their first meeting and agreed on four meeting dates. Following today’s meeting, the two leaders will meet again on the 2nd, 11th and 17th of May.

Within the framework of the new negotiation process, negotiators Özdil Nami and Andreas Mavroyannis held a meeting yesterday at 12:00 (local time), under the direction of the leaders.

Burcu: “The Greek Cypriot side preventing children from attending International Children Festival is unacceptable”

Presidential Spokesperson Barış Burcu has said that the Greek Cypriot side’s decision to turn away Serbian children who arrived on the island via South Cyprus to attend the International Children’s Festival Celebrations in the TRNC is unacceptable

In a written statement Burcu stated that, “efforts by the Greek Cypriot Administration to prevent children to attend this festival is inadmissible. There is no reasonable justification or explanation for preventing these children from crossing into the TRNC, rather than sending them back to Serbia”.

Stating that the Greek Cypriot Administration continues its efforts to isolate the Turkish Cypriots from the world, Burcu said that the act was “unacceptable at such a time, when we are trying to continue our efforts to find a solution in Cyprus.”

National Sovereignty and Children’s Day celebrations have started at the TRNC Assembly

Activities to celebrate the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, which is on 23 April, have started as the torch was lit at the TRNC Assembly yesterday.

Around 500 primary school students from 6 different countries, including the TRNC, met at the TRNC Assembly to participate in the activities.

The torch was lit by Minister of National Education and Culture Özdemir Berova and Speaker of the Assembly Sibel Siber, symbolizing the beginning of the activities. The students from Turkey, Russia, Tatarstan, Kyrgyzstan and Lithuania represented their countries by wearing their local dress.

Addressing the students, Berova and Siber referred to the importance of this date, in which the first gathering of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, proclaimed by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, is commemorated.

Source: TRNC Public Information Office –

To read more news and information from the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, please click here

Pictures shown are courtesy of the TRNC Public Information Office Facebook page.

Akıncı to meet with Guterres today

President Mustafa Akıncı will be meeting with the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Brussels today at 16:00, before travelling to İstanbul for the 20th Eurasian Economic Summit.

Akıncı will attend and address the Eurasian Economic Summit as the guest of honour tomorrow. It has been announced that the main theme of this year’s summit will be “Humanity at a Crossroad”.

The summit will also be attended by President of Albania Bujar Nishani, President of Bosnia-Herzegovina Mladen Ivanic, President of Macedonia Gjorge Ivanov and Former President of Turkey Abdullah Gül.

Akıncı will return to the island on Saturday, April 8.

Yesterday, President Akıncı condemned the terrorist attack in Russia, publishing a message of condolence.

He said in the message, “I convey my condolences for those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack on the St. Petersburg metro and wish a speedy recovery to all those who have been injured. I also share the pain of the Russian people”.

Ertuğruloğlu held meetings in London

Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu held a series of meetings during a visit to the UK capital, London last week.

Ertuğruloğlu met with Members of the UK Parliament as part of his visit. He also gave a briefing to the UK Parliament’s All Party Parliamentary Group for the TRNC about the Cyprus Negotiation Process and the views of the Turkish Cypriot people on the talks.

Minister Ertuğruloğlu also held high-level meetings with former ministers and officials.

Within the framework of his trip, Foreign Minister Ertuğruloğlu also visited the Turkish Embassy and the TRNC Representative Office in London.

Moreover, Ertuğruloğlu met with representatives of the Turkish Cypriot community living in London and listened to their views and concerns.

Presidential Spokesperson Barış Burcu has said that Greek Cypriot Spokesperson Nikos Hristodulidis acted against the political consensus not to make a statement about the leaders’ meeting on Sunday, and that he made unfounded accusations against President Akıncı.

Burcu said, “President Mustafa Akıncı met for dinner with the Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades and UN Secretary General’s Special Advisor Espen Barth Eide in the buffer zone on Sunday 2nd April. The two leaders evaluated the negotiation process and shared their thoughts, observations and recommendations with each other.”

Explaining that the only statement regarding the meeting was agreed to be made by Espen Barth Eide, Burcu said, “According to the consensus, the two sides mutually agreed not to make any statement regarding the discussions and outcomes. However, the Greek Cypriot Spokesperson Nikos Hristodulidis has been making misleading statements to various media organisations throughout the day from the early hours of the morning, and has been making unfounded accusations against President Mustafa Akıncı.”

Spokesperson Burcu added that President Mustafa Akıncı has limited his response in order to respect the consensus reached, and stressed that the accusations are not true.

“As the Turkish Cypriot side, our aim is to immediately reach a bi-communal, bi-zonal federal solution which will ensure safety, equality, freedom and tranquillity of both communities, by respecting the agreements reached” said Burcu.

Remembrance ceremony held for Former Prime Minister Mustafa Çağatay

Former Prime Minister Mustafa Çağatay was remembered on the 28th anniversary of his death at a ceremony held at his graveside in Karaoğlanoğlu.

The commemoration ceremony was attended by President Mustafa Akıncı, Prime Minister Hüseyin Özgürgün, Turkish Ambassador to Lefkoşa Derya Kanbay, Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, National Education and Culture Minister Özdemir Berova, in addition to political party leaders and Çağatay’s family and friends.

Source: TRNC Public Information Office –

To read more news and information from the TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, please click here

Pictures shown are courtesy of the TRNC Public Information Office Facebook page.